Amid the Philippines’ months-long lockdown, consumers continue to experience a shift both in behaviour and priorities; the need for meaningful interactions and a stronger sense of community has significantly grown, not only in Filipinos’ personal circles, but also in their interactions with brands.
Research from around the world shows that the great majority of consumers think brands should continue advertising as normal during the pandemic and lockdowns.
“Consumers want to hear from brands and genuinely connect with them,” says Beatriz Lim, managing director at the TeamAsia agency. “They want to know how brands can help navigate through this very uncertain time.”
Writing for WARC, she argues that brands have a unique opportunity to create a more intimate relationship with consumers, by communicating with empathy and providing impactful solutions.
“We need to be aligned with their priorities today, but how can we make our products and services relevant? The key lies in creating meaningful brand experiences,” she says.
The ability to do that may require some soul-searching. “Brands must first understand what their purpose is,” Lim states – that is what will enable them to find the right approach in creating and providing meaningful experiences.
“We need to get past the idea of ‘just marketing’ to meet our KPIs,” she says. “We must first and foremost be there for our customers – for better or for worse.
“These meaningful experiences will produce tighter and stronger relationships between brand and consumer. These will, in turn, help brands flourish even more in the long term.”
For more, read Beatriz Lim’s article in full: How brand experiences can build stronger connections within the Filipino community.
This article is part of a Spotlight series on how brands can better connect with communities in the Philippines. Read more here.
Sourced from WARC
